Out of sight, out of pocket.

Why it’s (well and truly) time for intersectional pay gap reporting in Australia.


Open Letter:

The time for intersectional gender pay gap reporting in Australia is now.

Dear Prime Minister, The Hon Anthony Albanese MP, Minister for Women, Senator the Hon Katy Gallagher, CEO of the Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA), The Hon Mary Wooldridge, and Australian Statistician at the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), David Gruen,

Despite some progress, Australia’s persistent Gender Pay Gap continues to rob women of financial independence, safety and freedom. The effects of which compound over a lifetime. 

But, you already know this.

It is also widely understood that the Gender Pay Gap data we currently collect and report on continues to paint an incomplete picture; one that fails to adequately represent how discrimination and disadvantage compounds for those with intersecting marginalised identities.

Of course, you already know this too.

So, surely we can all agree that the time for Australia to adopt an intersectional approach to its Gender Pay Gap reporting has, well and truly, come?

What We’re Calling For

As a coalition of organisations, advocates and individuals, we are calling for the urgent adoption of intersectional gender pay gap data collection and reporting, under the Workplace Gender Equality Act 2012. We are asking that you:

  1. Make Regulatory Change: Urgently adopt recommendations 6.1 and 7.2 from the WGEA Review Report (2021) and collect—at a minimum—data sets relating to age, ethnicity, disability, First Nations status, and sexual orientation, alongside a broader definition of gender beyond the binary.

  2. Protect Data Privacy: Ensure personal information is handled safely and stored securely, with clear explanations as to why data is being collected, how it will be used, and the benefits of reporting. In particular, we wish to echo and amplify the calls for First Nations data sovereignty, as outlined in the Wiyi Yani U Thangani Change Agenda for First Nations Gender Justice.

  3. Provide Further Support and Training: Help organisations collect and report this data accurately, so we can see the true extent of intersectional pay gaps and create more targeted interventions. This must involve adequate and meaningful consultation with peak bodies and people with relevant lived experience.

The Time Is Now

Without intersectional data, we cannot hope to fully understand, or address, the barriers preventing meaningful equity and inclusion. And as long as the true extent of pay disparities remain hidden, so too will the solutions. 

It’s time to recognise intersectional pay gap reporting for what it is: the essential foundation upon which our combined efforts to close the pay gap must rest. A ‘must-have’, not a ‘nice to have’. Otherwise, we run the risk of delivering ‘shallow progress’ that unintentionally perpetuates, and further entrenches, the very inequities we are seeking to dismantle.

We are not the first to call for this change, but we hope we will be the last. Until then, we proudly add our voices to those who have come before us.

We look forward to your response, but more importantly—your action.

 

Become a co-signatory here:

Signed:

Chandel Rose - Co-founder, Ladies Talk Money

Carmen Hawker - Founder, CARMEN GET IT!

Jessica Brady - Co-founder, Ladies Talk Money

Min-Shi Michelle Lim - Organisational Culture Specialist and DE&I Advocate

Larisha Jerome - proud Jarowair, Wakka Wakka & Wulli Wulli woman, Founder of Liberate with Larisha and Economic Justice Advocate

Prof. Nareen Young - Gadigal descendant and Associate Dean, UTS Jumbunna/UTS Business School

Associate Prof. Dimitria G. Groutsis - University of Sydney Business School, Academic Director, Science in Australia Gender Equity (SAGE) Program

Tasneem Chopra OAM - Cross Cultural Consultant

Div Pillay - CEO, MindTribes & Co-Founder Culturally Diverse Women

Mary Crooks AO - Executive Director, Victorian Women's Trust

Chris Harding - Engagement and Philanthropy Manager, Djirra

Senator Larissa Waters - Greens Senator for Queensland

Nicole Yade - CEO, Women’s and Girls’ Emergency Centre (WAGEC)

Mundanara Bayles - Director, BlackCard

Clint Curtis - Digital Creator, BlackCard

Jade Blakkarly - CEO, WIRE

Dr Emma Fulu - Founder & Director, The Equality Institute

Mariam Mohammed - Co-founder, MoneyGirl, Host of The Great Tangent podcast

Melissa Ma - Co-founder, MoneyGirl

Gemma Saunders - Founder, Workplace Edit

Christina Hobbs - Co-founder, Verve Super

Erin Morris - Managing Director, Young Folks

Phoebe Saintilan - Founder, Missing Perspectives

Jen Branscombe - Director, GenderWorks Australia

Kathy Oliver - Director, GenderWorks Australia

Sonali Hedditch - PhD on Intersectionality, The University of Queensland

Leigh Dunlop - Purpose-led Workplace Policy Leader and Advocate

Azra Nurkic - Company Coordinator, Pure Finance

Brendan Dixon - Managing Director, Pure Finance

Michael Bradley - Managing Partner, Marque Lawyers

Frances Goh - Head of Community & Growth, One Roof

Emma Bowdler - Founder and Director, The Women’s Accountant

Lauren Ryan - Co-founder and CEO, The Global Women’s Project

Natalie Yan-Chatonsky - CEO, Full Time Lives

Mabel Abatania - Inclusion, Diversity and Equity Consultant, MABATAN Consulting

Nidhi Kalaiya - Founder, Zuka

Dr Varina Michaels - Executive Director, Women of Colour Australia

Brenda Gaddi - Founder and Executive Director, Women of Colour Australia

Red Dearnley - Managing Director, Influence Global 

Nikki Tugano - Founder & CEO, SeenCulture

Niti Nadarajah - Founder, Coach & DEI Consultant, Coaching by Niti

Micaela Drieberg - Chief Executive Officer, Gender Equity Victoria

Natalie Flynn - Founder, equidi

Rebecca Glenn - CEO, Centre for Women's Economic Safety

Bec Blurton - Director, First Nations Affairs

Kit McMahon - CEO, Women's Health in the South East

Violet Roumeliotis - CEO, Settlement Services International

Jack Toohey - Content Creator + Writer

Samantha Owen - Director, Gender Equity & Inclusion, Curtin University

Kristine Ziwica -  Journalist

Linda Ryle - Kamilaroi /Birrigubba, CALM - Cultural Advocacy & Legal Me

Angela Priestley - Co-founder, Women’s Agenda

Tarla Lambert - Editor in Chief and Co-founder, Women’s Agenda

Natasha Kaiser - Founder, Wurrumay Collective

Sheetal Deo - Lawyer, Advocate, DEI practitioner, Shakti Legal Solutions

Holley Skene - CEO, SHINE SA

Varo Lee - Board Chair, SA Rainbow Advocacy Alliance (SARAA)

Dr Emma Rae - DEI Consultant, Emma Rae Consulting

Jo Kowalczyk - CEO, Women in Super

Sally Hasler - CEO, Women's Health Victoria

Monika Sarder - Senior Data Analyst, Women’s Health Victoria

Elena Rosenman - CEO, Women’s Legal Centre ACT

Caitlin Figueiredo - Board Director, Australian Youth Affairs Coalition

Jane Caro AM - Speaker, Writer, Advocate

Kym Chapple - Randwick City Greens Councillor

Mandy Nicholson - Wurundjeri, Djaara, Ngurai illum wurrung - Djirri Djirri Cultural Services

Tatum Moore - Wiradjuri, Yorta Yorta, Barkindji-Gurnu, Kunja

Careers in Colour

Vineti Anand - Co-founder, Australian Professionals Of Colour

 

Supported by:

 

Co-signed:

Ally Oliver-Perham - Communications Manager, Victorian Women's Trust

Faith Limantono - Marketing Lead, One Roof

Brook McCarthy - Founder and Business Mentor, Hustle & Heart

Emma Fitzgerald - Barrister at law

Line Paras - Boss Lady, Counting Clouds

Elana Robertson - Managing Director, foundher.

Lauren Shuttleworth - Founder, Words With Heart

Michelle Hawker - Supporter

Ben Grisold - Graphic Designer

Taylah Fuchshofer - Account Director, Young Folks

Sanam Goodman - Content Specialist, Young Folks

Anita Coelho - Financial Course Consultant

Jayde Jenkins - Founder, Bloom Financial Planning

Darin Skinner - Chief Operating Officer, Ensombl

Jenny Rolfe-Wallace - Financial Education Consultant, It's Not About The Money

Shane Crow - Director, The Neighbourhood Salon

Kyle Nawrocki - Director, The Neighbourhood Salon

Lacey Filipich - Founder and Director, Money School

Daniel Armstrong - Supporter

Xiao Kan Huang - Director, Level: Asian Podcast

Anjani Gregoriou - Supporter, Anjani Amriit

Faith Agugu - CEO & Founder, Silver Sirens

Alexei Dawes - Cognitive Neuroscientist

Koon Lai - Coach, SKL

Lai Heng Foong - Emergency Medicine Specialist

Gloria Yuen - Director, AAPC

Marjorie Tenchavez - Founder & Director, Welcome Merchant

Kane Jackson - Founder, Maslow

Victoria Butt - CEO, Parity Consulting

Charlie Webber - Loan Adviser, Pure Finance

Charity Mosienyane - Supporter

Fern Seto - Supporter

Christine Yeung - CEO and Founder, Weaver

Samantha Sutherland - DE&I Advocate and Gender Equity Specialist

Jessica Greenland - Director, Mkt. Communications

Skye Tipler - Director, Mkt. Communications

Erin Roy - Client Services & Strategy Director, Mkt. Communications

Jiri Vrba - Project Manager, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion in Medicine

Sanduni De Silva - Supporter

Amy Boyce - Director, ABC PR

Mona Shindy - Supporter

Vivian Wei - Supporter

Pearl Tang - Supporter

Manus Chauhan - Supporter

Srishti Dutta - GPSA/GP

Suzanne Alexander - Founder, Mindful Finances

Harita Sridhar - Lawyer

Ghislaine Entwisle - Supporter

Samantha Robinson - Supporter

Natasha Akib - Director, Digital Storytellers

Michelle Redfern - DEI & Workplace Gender Equality Advisor, Advancing Women in Business and Sport

Kasandra Lim - Supporter

Jemma Moody-Pugh - Supporter

Brian Cobb - Top Dog, Raver Dogs

Vasana Herath - Cybersecurity Culture Manager

Kiyoung Sung - Founder, ReMI

Nyssa Millington - Financial Counsellor

Kathryn Bills-Thompson - Supporter

Anna Lamb - Pricing Strategist, Uplifting Value

Karen Visagie - Supporter

Hina Khurana - Senior Manager Accountability

Nicole Gil-Alampay -  P+C Coordinator

Adam Verwey - Co-founder and CEO, SIX

Shanice Leadbeatter - Aboriginal Engagement and Regulatory Practice Advisor

Julie Kun - Director, Julie Kun Consulting

Gaenor Meakes - Supporter

Erin Bennett - Supporter

Chloe Hawker - Supporter

Craig Dunn - Supporter

Ashley Visagie - IT Consultant

Senthan Sanchayan - Creative Director

Maggie Laister - Financial Coach

Lydia Ho - Supporter

Anfernee Chansamooth - Supporter, Authentic Marketer

Ami Joy - Marketing Specialist, Young Folks

Erin Zeitsch - Operations Manager

Anita Manchester - Head of Marketing, Stella Insurance

Claire Tenzer - Supporter, Financial Services

Ava Chand - Lawyer

Natasha Janssens - Founder, Women with Cents

Jena Jaensch - Founder, Six Degrees of Punctuation

Joris Cuesta - Director, Joris Cuesta Consulting

Julia Back - Content Coordinator, Young Folks

Rachel Bush - Evidence and Policy Lead, Women's Health in the South East

Rachael M - Supporter, Mother

Arti Agrawal - CEO, Vividhata

Sam Kitch - Supporter

Roman Ruzbacky - Principal Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Consultant, Roman Ruzbacky & Associates

Charlotte Lerpiniere - Founder, Brandid Media

Ines Schuber - Customer support

Therese Nolan - National Co-Convenor, Women in Adult and Vocational Education (WAVE)

Leon Powell - Creative Services Manager, The Equality Institute

Julia van Graas - Co-founder, Leaders on Demand

Dee Behan - Digital strategist, Kablamo

Rachel Patterson - Supporter

 Jessie Yu - DEI Advisor

Gemma MacDonald - DKO Architecture

Amy Springhall - Founder, The Visibility Project

Elaine Butler - Supporter

Jadie Hunter - Supporter

Libby Clinton - Women's Safety and Gender Equity Project Coordinator, Settlement Services International

Caroline Crunden - Director of Operations, Nutrip

Danielle McKeown - Supporter

Kirsty Hetherington - Associate Director in Urban Design

Alex H - Supporter

Malia Dewse - Director, Beyond the Will

Olivia Sarah-Le Lacheur - Supporter

Marolin S - Supporter

Jessica Atkins - Supporter

Laura McConnell Conti - Founder, #GoKindly

Hannah Brennan - CEO & Co-founder, Scarf Community Organisation

Yee Man Louie - Supporter

Hannah Tate - Supporter

Ashleigh Bruders - Director, Speckle Digital

Jessica Wong-Saunderson - Supporter

Katherine Jackson - Supporter

Trish Gregory - Financial Adviser, Fox & Hare

Amy C - Supporter

Desiree Bensley - Supporter

Trudy Heins - Supporter

Claire Harris - Co-Founder & Strategic Director, Human Quotient Group

Betsy Westcott - Financial Coach, Consultant & Commentator, Inner Money Journey

Karen Mclaughlan - Supporter

Jillian Aylett Brown - Supporter

Amber Bonney - Founder and Head of Strategy, The Edison Agency

Jessy Geer - General Manager Talent and Culture

Pascale Petit - Supporter

Matilda Parker - People & Culture Coordinator

Anie Kandya - Social Media Producer

Lambrina Gimian - Peer Support Worker

Miriam Fine - Communications Consultant

Natasha Christian - Copywriter

Jackie Chan - Supporter

Anashree Dahl - Director, Dahl & Co

Darshana Parekh - Lawyer & DEI Consultant

Olivia Thomas - Specialist FV prac

Zee Schorsch - Inclusion Coordinator

Emma Stephens - Finance Broker

Victor Sojo - Supporter

Allanah Maruff - Supporter

Jill Kitch - Business Manager

Silika Baselala - Founder, Ebony Bolts

Jess Ivers - Supporter

Natalie Dean-Weymark - Founder, Compass Studio

Maquel Brandimarti - Project Officer, Supporter

Sarah Gallo - Supporter

Amy Hauber - Founder, LOESS

Nick Morley - Founder, LOESS

Judit Brown - Supporter

Kisharni Eggleton - Supporter

Caroline Carson - Origin Consulting, Supporter

Mary Beth O Brien - Supporter

Natalie Wong - Chief People and Culture Officer, Allied Credit

Justene Sharp - RN, Supporter

Rachael Imam - Communications Officer, Victorian Women's Trust

Katie McDermott - Founder, See Me Please

Fiona Herron - Supporter

Mohana Ryan - Program Manager

Leilani Brown - Senior Paraplanner

Safeera Hussainy - Supporter

Christine Garbett - Supporter

Tahli Cavagnino - Financial Advisor

Jacqueline Robson - Supporter

Rani Fairbairn - Supporter

Logan Balavijendran - Supporter

Yee Man Louie - Independent Researcher

Emma Jones - Founder & CEO, Project F and T-EDI Standards

Vimala Thangaveloo - Founder, Mosaic Working

Ava Wansbrough - Supporter

Denise Spencer - Supporter

Josephine Hutchinson - Senior Digital Advisor, VIDA

Ilana Light - Supporter

Bronwyn Hughes - Supporter

Sarah-Jane Hart - Supporter

Julie McCormack - Consultant, Health and Education

Barbra Norris - Supporter

Amber Summerfield - Supporter

Helen Threlfall - Supporter

Diana Langmead - Education Researcher, Dr.

Liz Buckley - Supporter

Erin Ellison - Health & Disability Advocate

Amelia Easdale - Fundraising & Development Manager

Sarah Vanderschoot - Copywriter

Mohana Ryan - Supporter

Noha Ahmed - Founder/Principal, NSA Communications

Stacey Star - Supporter

Lisa Sorgini - Supporter

Erin Ellison - Health and disability advocate

Sarah Strzelecki - Supporter

Adele James - Woman, Worker, Wife, Mother, Student

Alva Geikie - Women's Liberation Advocate

Krithika Gururaj - Supporter

Co-supported by:

 
 

CAMPAIGN IMAGE CREDIT: EMMA RAHMANI